Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-ii-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2016/5/solution

The first-order multivariable Taylor expansion is
Taking gives the linear approximation
To assess its significant figures, the quadratic Taylor polynomial supplies the correction for , . Direct evaluation gives . Thus the estimate is correct to four significant figures: both round to , whereas to five significant figures the exact value is and the approximation is . The unexpectedly small quadratic correction results partly from cancellation of its mixed and unmixed terms.

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